A consideration of cognitive factors in the learning and education of older adults

The purpose of this paper is to consider the unique cognitive and intellectual factors that influence the learning and education of older adults. With this objective in mind, the paper reviews the empirical literature on patterns of intellectual and cognitive aging, and ends by discussing the implications and applications of these patterns for the practical and effective education of our elderly citizenry. When we consider the aging of intellectual abilities we are concerned with studying the development of fluid, crystallized and practical intelligence and variations in these abilities from adulthood into advanced old age. We are also concerned with looking at changes in cognitive functions such as attention, memory, information retrieval and tolerance for interference in learning capacity. Much recent work has been successful in showing that intellectual and cognitive decline in old age is not necessarily irreversible. While many elderly persons are very able learners, are highly self-directed, and have ample educational and intellectual resources available, others may benefit from assistance or suggestions about how to compensate for some of the cognitive declines in old age. With this objective the implications are discussed for educators and practitioners who must formulate cognitive training programs for older adults.

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Zusammenfassung Ziel dieses Artikels ist eine Untersuchung der einzigartigen kognitiven und intellektuellen Faktoren, die Bildung und Lernen für Ältere beeinflussen. Unter Berücksichtigung dieses Ziels wird die empirische Literatur über intellektuelle und kognitive Altersmuster neu ausgewertet. Der Schlußteil umfaßt eine Diskussion über Auswirkungen und Anwendungen dieser Muster zur praktischen und effektiven Bildung unserer älteren Mitbürger. Angesichts des Alterns unserer intellektuellen Fähigkeiten befassen wir uns mit der Entwicklung von fließender, komprimierter und praktischer Intelligenz und Variationen dieser Fähigkeiten vom Erwachsenenalter bis zum fortgeschrittenen Altern. Themen sind außerdem die Veränderungen der kognitiven Funktionen wie z.B. Aufmerksamkeit, Gedächtnis, Informationsabruf und Toleranz für die Interferenz in der Lernkapazität. Ein großer Teil der Untersuchungen zu diesem Thema bewies erfolgreich, daß intellektueller und kognitiver Verfall im Alter nicht unbedingt irreversibel sein muß. Während viele Ältere fähige Schüler sind, gut autonom lernen können und freie Bildungs- und Lernkapazitäten zur Verfügung haben, könnten andere von Vorschlägen und Hilfsprogrammen zur Kompensierung der Alterserscheinungen profitieren. Unter Berücksichtigung dieser Faktoren werden die Folgen für Ausbilder und Praktiker, die kognitive Programme und Fortbildungen für Ältere erstellen müssen, erörtert.

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Résumé L'objet du présent article est d'étudier les facteurs cognitifs et intellectuels uniques qui influencent l'apprentissage et l'éducation des personnes âgées. C'est en suivant cet objectif qu'on examine la littérature empirique sur les structures du vieillissement intellectuel et cognitif avant de se tourner vers l'analyse des implications et applications desdites structures pour l'éducation pratique et efficace de l'ensemble des citoyens âgés. Lorsqu'on envisage l'affaiblissement des facultés intellectuelles, on s'intéresse à l'étude du développement de l'intelligence fluide, cristallisée et pratique et aux variations de ces aptitudes de l'âge adulte jusqu'à un âge avancé. On observe également les changements qui interviennent dans les fonctions cognitives telles l'attention, la mémoire, la recherche documentaire et la tolérance de l'interférence dans l'aptitude à l'étude. De récents travaux ont réussi à montrer que le déclin intellectuel et cognitif dans la vieillesse n'est pas nécessairement irréversible. Tandis que de nombreuses personnes âgées sont des apprenants très capables et hautement auto-dirigés qui possèdent de grandes ressources éducatives et intellectuelles, il se peut que d'autres aient besoin d'assistance ou de suggestions quant à la manière de compenser certaines carences cognitives survenant avec l'âge. Eu égard à cet objectif, on discute des implications pour les éducateurs et les enseignants qui doivent formuler les programmes de formation cognitive destinés aux personnes âgées.

     

The impact of knowledge transfer on MNC subsidiary performance: does cultural distance matter?

Knowledge Management Research & Practice - Despite research on how multinational corporations (MNCs) manage knowledge transfer across national borders, little is known about the implications of...     

Policy and planning of physical science education in South Africa: Myths and realities

South Africa has inherited a fragmented system of science education which fails to provide adequate access to the majority of the population and poorly serves those whom it does educate. Less than 0.5% of South African students achieve university entrance qualifications in science and mathematics. Post-apartheid policies have focused on increasing investment in science education through educating more science teachers, providing more access to students to study science at schools, and supplying more science equipment to schools. Based on findings from research conducted in Kwazulu-Natal, we conclude that each of these policy initiatives can be questioned. First, Kwazulu-Natal appears to have sufficient qualified physical science teachers to meet current demand. Additional teachers may be needed to cope with expansion, but not to teach existing students. Second, apparent shortages of qualified teachers may arise because of poor deployment; many who are qualified appear to be teaching other subjects or occupying nonteaching posts. Third, rapidly expanding access appears likely to reduce, rather than increase, pass rates, and divert resources from improvements in quality. Fourth, the reasons for differences in performance and poor performance appear not to be simply associated with levels of resource provision; more likely it is the efficient and effective use of these resources which is important. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 729–744, 1998.     

TECHNOLOGY AND GREASE: A FORMULA FOR EDUTAINMENT AND EFFICIENCY

Joint planning by Richard Daley College with a high school, the National Center for Education and the Economy, and the Associated Equipment Distributers Foundation produced a technology-based partnership that has motivated students, avoided additional construction, and resulted in an 84% graduation rate, including 32 graduates with 1 year of college and 6 students among the top 100 Hispanic graduates in the nation. The model is under consideration for adoption in Lubbock, Texas, and in the Columbus, Ohio, public schools. The program won an Excellence in Learning-Centered Instruction Award from the Illinois Community College Board in 2000 and the Bellwether Award for Governance, Planning, and Finance at the 2001 Community College Futures Assembly.     

Does socialization in schools matter? differences in value priorities between managers, professionals and executives in a singaporean firm

This paper discusses the functionalist perspective of stratification and institutional processes of values inculcation in schools and organizations. It is assumed that students’ school-to-work transition entail certain differences in life and work expectations as the education system forms the basis of cultural reproduction and values formation. A quantitative study was conducted to investigate the variations in value priorities between managers, professionals and executives in a MNC in Singapore. The questionnaire survey involved 252 participants. The findings highlight that the notion that differences in the relative value preferences between the three hierarchical groups may be a result of their previous respective educational socialization and achievements in schools.